Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1887-02-12

minds, as no good was thought to come
out of Nazareth, SO no good is expected
of tbs negro. In addition to the
Ethiopian buffoons and serenaders, who
presume to represent us abroad, there are
malicious American write r. who take
pleasure in assailing us as an inferior
and good for-nothing race, OF, which it is
impossible to make anything.
These influences are very hurtfnl, and
not only tend to avert from us the
sympathy of civilized Europeans, but to
bring us under the lash and sting of the
worlds contempt. have thus far done
little to counteract this tendency in pub
lie, but I have never failed to bear my
testimony when confronted with it in
private, with pen and tongue. When I
shall probably make few speeches in
that country in vindication of the cause
and the character of the colored race in
America, in which I hope to do justice
to their progress and make known some
of the difficulties with which as q people,
they have had to contend.
Notwithstanding what have said OF the
malign influences mentioned, the mass
es of the people, both in France and in
England, are sound in their convictions
and feelings concerning the colored race.
The best elements Of both countries are
just and charitable toward us.
I had the great pleasure yesterday of
an interview with member, NAV say
a venerable and highly distinguished
member, of the French senate, M.
Schoeicher, the man who in the first
hours of the revolution of l84S drew up
the decree and carried through the
measure of emancipation to the slaves in
all the French colonies. Senator School
cher is now over 80 years old, but, like
many other European statesmen, is still
able to work. He attends the senate
daily, and, in addition t. his other labors,
he Is now writing the life of Toussaint,
the hero of Haytian independence and
liberty. A splendid testimonial of the
French colonies is seen in his house in
the shape of figure of Liberty in bronze
breaking the chains of the slave. The
house of this venerable and philanthropic
senator has in it many Of the relics of
slaveholding barbarian and cruelty. Be
sides, broken letters and chains which
had once CALLED the limbs of slaves, he
showed me one iron collar with four
huge prongs, placed upon the necks Of
refractory slaves, designed to eatangle
and impede them in the bushes if they
attempt to run away. I bad seen the
same hellish implements in the states,
but did not know until I saw them here
that they were also used in the French
islands.
M. Schoelcher spoke much in praise of
Thomas Jefferson, but blamed Washing
ton. The latter could have, he said,
abolished slavery, and it was his fault
that slavery was fastened upon the Amer
lean republic Ispoke to him of Alexan-
DIRE Dumas. He said he was clever
writer. but that he was nothing in morals
or politics. He never said one word for
his race. So we have nothing to thank
Dumas for. Victor Hugo, the white
man, couldspeak for us, but this brilliant
colored man, who could have let down
sheets Of fire upon the heads of tyrants
and carried freedom to his enslsved peo-
pie, had no word in behalf of liberty or
the enslaved. I have not seen bis statue
here in Paris. I shall 90 to see it as an
acknowledgment of the genius of q
colored man, but not because I honor
the character of the man himself.
have seen much here in Paris in the
way OF ancient and modern sculpture and
painting which has deeply interested me-
The Louvre and the Luxembourg
abound in them. I have long been
interested in ethnology, especially Of the
North African races. have wanted the
evidence of greatness under a colored
skin, to meet and beat back the charge
of natural, original, and permanent
inferiority of the colored races of men.
Gould have seen, forty years ago, what
I have now seen, I should have been
much better fortified to meet the Motifs
and the Gilddens of America in their
arguments against the negro as q part of
the great African race. knowledge on
this subjsst comes to me late, but hope
not too late to be of some service, for the
battle at this point is not yet fought out,
and the victory is not yet won.
Yesterday, through the kind Offices Of
Mr.. The-door Stanton, who procured
tickets for us, I had the pleasure, with
him and Mrs. Douglass, of sitting In the
forward part of the gallery of the French
house of deputies and listening to that
august body, answering to our house of
representatives, but with powers more
enlarged. It presented fine appear
ance, and, though somewhat noisy, it
was in point of manners an Improvement
on our house of representatives. / saw
no one squirting tobacco, emoking, or
his feet above the level Of his head, as is
sometimes seen in our national leSisla-
ture.
Colored faces ara scarce In Paris. /
sometimes get sight Of one or two In the